Millikan's oil-drop experiment, conducted in 1909, was pivotal in determining the electron's charge and proving charge quantization. Robert A. Millikan and Harvey Fletcher's meticulous work led to the precise measurement of the elementary electric charge and supported the concept of electrons as indivisible units of charge. Their findings also played a significant role in the development of quantum mechanics and reinforced the photoelectric effect.
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Physicist Robert A. Millikan and his graduate student Harvey Fletcher conducted the oil-drop experiment in 1909 to determine the elementary electric charge of a single electron
The Apparatus
The apparatus consisted of two parallel metal plates separated by an insulating material, with holes for light and observation, and a uniform electric field established by a known potential difference
The Procedure
Oil droplets were introduced into the chamber above the plates, becoming electrically charged, and their motion was observed and measured under different conditions
By equating the gravitational and electric forces on a droplet, Millikan was able to calculate the charge of an electron, which was found to be a fundamental, indivisible unit of charge
Millikan's precise measurements confirmed the quantization of electric charge, providing evidence that electrons are fundamental units of charge that can be transferred between atoms
The discovery of the electron's charge and its quantization was crucial for the development of atomic theory, solidifying the idea that electrons are indivisible components of atoms
Millikan's experiments on the energy of ejected electrons supported Albert Einstein's theory of the photoelectric effect, ultimately earning both scientists Nobel Prizes
The meticulous design and execution of the oil-drop experiment by Millikan and Fletcher exemplifies the power of precise experimental technique in advancing our understanding of fundamental scientific principles
Millikan's findings on the electron's charge and the photoelectric effect contributed to the foundation of quantum mechanics, furthering our understanding of the behavior of particles at the atomic level
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Experiment Conductor: Oil-drop
Robert A. Millikan and Harvey Fletcher
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Year of Oil-drop Experiment
1909
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Oil-drop Experiment Location
University of Chicago
